Sad news...

Court was on Friday.  Unfortunately all three girls choose not to be adopted.  I have had to keep quiet on what has been happening, but now am free to write about it.  The girls' mother lost her rights to them four years ago after horribly abusing them.  Sadly the orphanage director let her be in communication with the girls during our attempt to adopt.  She was even allowed at one point to come talk to them to convince them not to be adopted.  It worked at first, but then the girls choose to proceed with adoption.  It is against Ukrainian law, and common sense, to allow a parent whose rights have been terminated to communicate with the child.  The girls' mother told them that she would come and get them out.  At court Lyuba stated that her mother had said that and that her mother would not lie.  We know that Lyuba's dream has been to be adopted, but of course her number one dream would be to have her mother take them back from the orphanage.  That won't happen, but Lyuba doesn't realize it, although our facilitator and translator have talked extensively about that to her.  The judge was concerned about Lyuba's decision to not be adopted and told her that her mother had poisoned her mind.  That someday when it will be too late Lyuba will realize she made the wrong decision.  Lyuba still stuck with her decision and the other two girls followed her.

We are okay, but heartbroken for the girls.  We have had inspiration and miracles happen in association with the adoption that it is hard to believe this is how it ends for them.  I plan to do a write up of our entire experience with the adoption here in Ukraine.  I am so worn out from it all right now, but plan to do it soon.  Before I couldn't write much about the separation process for fear of the orphanages reading the blog and messing up the adoption.  Then I couldn't say much about when court was going to be in the chance that the girls' mother would catch wind and come or send their older sister.  The older sister still did manage to come to court and influence the girls.  We are now in Odessa waiting to go home.  Our returns flights were scheduled for May 4th from the beginning and we can't find earlier flights to take.